You recognize that sensation when you’re 99% sure something’s an excellent concept, just to recognize later … it was a complete dumpster fire? That’s precisely what took place when I chose to switch my entire company over to GoHighLevel.
It looked glossy. It seemed revolutionary. But in reality? It developed into among one of the most painful software program choices I have actually made in over a decade of running my service.
So before you jump on the GoHighLevel bandwagon, let me stroll you via exactly what decreased– since if you’re anything like me, you’re always trying to find smarter, much more efficient methods to expand your business. Simply … not like this.
The Sexy All-in-One Promise
Right here’s things. When GoHighLevel struck the scene, it sounded like a dream come true. A solitary platform to manage your CRM, sales funnels, email campaigns, visit bookings, automation, settlements– you call it.
If you have actually ever before handled a Monster pile of tools just to run your daily, you understand exactly how tempting the “all-in-one” pitch can be. I would certainly been making use of Keap for years (and loving it, honestly), yet still– I obtained enticed in by the promise of simplifying every little thing under one roofing system.
And yeah, I’ll confess: I had a negative instance of glossy object syndrome.
Why I Left Keap (A Device That Really Worked)
Let me be real with you: Keap had not been broken. It did whatever I needed. It handled my e-mail automations, sales funnels, visit scheduling, invoicing– you name it. Sure, the interface felt a little outdated in places, and sometimes points took a few more clicks than I liked, however hey, it worked.
So why modification?
Honestly, I just began questioning if I was losing out. GoHighLevel was cheaper (on the surface), supplied much more features, and all the awesome marketers on the internet appeared to be going crazy concerning it. FOMO is a heck of a medicine.
That interest expense me greater than simply cash– it cost me time, energy, and satisfaction.
What It Price Me to Switch
I went all in. Enrolled in the $297/month agency plan. Spent a solid 30 to 40 hours migrating data, rebuilding workflows, and primarily attempting to replicate my entire Keap arrangement inside GoHighLevel.
Below’s what I needed to move:
- 20,000+ e-mail customers
- Dozens of automations
- All customer accounts and notes
- Stripe invoicing integration
- Entire funnel infrastructure
- Personalized forms, landing pages, causes … everything
Allow’s not also talk about the lost productivity during those few weeks. I was up to my eyeballs in Zapier workarounds, viewing tutorials, and trying to figure out where the hell fundamental setups were.
And just when I assumed points were working … they weren’t.
The Bugs Started Slipping In
In the beginning, everything looked all right. Yet after that, out of no place, people on my checklist started getting emails they weren’t expected to obtain. I’m talking completely unnecessary messages– sent in sets of 171 customers at once. Three days in a row.
Complete mayhem.
I reconstruct the automations from square one. Still occurred. I spoke to assistance. They blamed “server concerns.” But nothing made sense, and the trouble didn’t go away. Think of awakening every early morning wondering who your system might’ve spammed overnight.
That’s not just aggravating– it’s dangerous. When your entire brand name is built on trust, you can’t pay for to appear like an unaware amateur blasting the wrong emails to the wrong people.
Assistance? Yeah, All The Best
Currently, I don’t expect excellence from any type of platform. Insects happen. However when they do? I expect the assistance group to step up quick.
That really did not occur right here.
Reactions were unclear. Tickets went unanswered. I seemed like I was yelling into deep space while my business burned. On the other hand, every min I spent fixing was a minute I wasn’t serving clients or growing my agency.
For a device that markets itself to major entrepreneurs, GoHighLevel sure didn’t treat me like one.
The Interface Was a Hot Mess
You ever make use of a device and just really feel … lost? That was me inside GoHighLevel SaaS Mode.
The UX was clunky. Things were hidden in strange places. Even simple jobs like editing a funnel or tweaking an email flow turned into a scavenger hunt.
And their funnel builder? Do not also obtain me began. Want to alter item settings, page formats, and total circulation? Amazing– you’ll need to quest with 3 different areas that make no logical feeling. Fifty percent the time, I could not also bear in mind where I would certainly clicked something ten seconds earlier.
It felt like using software developed by designers, for designers– not day-to-day entrepreneur.
The “Budget friendly” Plan That Got Actual Pricey, Actual Quick
Let’s chat money.
Among GoHighLevel’s large selling points is the cost. I indicate, $97/month for all those features? Sounds incredible, ideal?
Yet below’s what they do not inform you:.
You pay added per email if you use their SMTP.
You need to link solutions like Mailgun or Twilio and manage their payment separately.
You’ll get arbitrary microcharges that aren’t explained plainly.
Desire far better email deliverability? That’s gon na cost you as well.
By the time I added everything up, I was paying more than I had actually been with Keap. And worsening outcomes.
That’s not a good deal– it’s simply bad math.
My Email Metrics Tanked GoHighLevel SaaS Mode
The last straw? Viewing my email open rates drop like a rock.
I would certainly been getting a strong 35% open price with Keap. My target market was engaged, my automations were called in, and points simply worked.
After switching over to GoHighLevel? Opens dropped below 15%. Clicks were nearly missing. Something was clearly off.
Maybe it was a deliverability problem. Perhaps the system was simply sending at bad times or otherwise customizing messages properly. Whatever the cause, I wasn’t staying to play investigative while my list rotted.
Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
If you’re considering switching to GoHighLevel– or any brand-new platform– right here’s what I wish a person had actually told me prior to I made the jump:.
1. Don’t Chase the Shiny Toy
It’s very easy to obtain hyped about the most recent “cutting edge” tool. But even if everyone’s speaking about something does not mean it’s right for you. If your present system is working, hesitate prior to blowing it up.
2. Worth Simpleness Over Features
More isn’t always far better. A system with a tidy, instinctive user interface will save you time and headaches in the long run– even if it doesn’t have every feature under the sun.
3. Need Openness
Surprise expenses are the most awful. Select devices that are in advance concerning pricing, integrations, and restrictions. You should not require a calculator and a thesaurus to recognize your regular monthly costs.
4. Pay Attention to Actual Users (Not Simply Marketing Professionals)
Inspect unbiased evaluations, customer forums, and Reddit strings. Focus on real individual experience– not simply slick sales pages.
Still Desire an All-in-One CRM? Here Are Much better Options
If you’re still on the hunt for a reputable, user-friendly platform to run your organization, I’ve tested a lot. Right here are a couple of I ‘d in fact recommend:.
Keap— My present go-to. Effective automations, solid support, and it just functions. Well worth every dime.
HubSpot— Great for businesses that require scalability and progressed CRM features.
GreenRope— A strong all-in-one solution for small to mid-sized organizations with solid reporting tools.
Monday.com— Wonderful for task administration, team collaboration, and sales pipeline monitoring.
Bonsai— Specifically terrific for consultants and service-based solopreneurs.
Conclusion
GoHighLevel might benefit some. But also for me? It was a discouraging, costly experiment that I could not wait to end.
So if you’re standing at the side, asking yourself whether to make the jump– think hard. Ask yourself what’s truly not operating in your present setup. Do not burn your systems down even if something more recent and shinier turned up.
Stick to what jobs. Your sanity (and your clients) will thanks.